Stay Safe, Secure and Protected

- Monday, January 13, 2014 -

Target, Snapchat … who’s next?

All you had to do was swipe your card. That’s all it took to become a victim of one of the largest security breaches in history. As many as 70 million Target customers had their credit card, debit card or Target Red Card information compromised during the December 2013 security breach.

So what do you do as a consumer if you swiped your credit card at the retail store between the dates of November 27 – December 15?

MONITOR ACCOUNTS: At NebraskaLand National Bank, we provide several services for identity theft protection. Our FREE services such as Internet Banking, eAlerts, Mobile Banking and Identity Theft Protection Services allow you to instantly monitor your accounts for any suspicious activity. If you find your account has been compromised, call one of our locations immediately for a new card to be issued to you.

As a financial institution, we also provide an account monitoring system to reduce your risk and protect against fraud and identity theft. Providing us with your current contact information allows us to quickly and efficiently notify you of any suspicious activity on your card. Verify that we have your current phone number, address and email on file to help us better serve you.

STAY INFORMED: Identity theft is a very real crime. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, in 2012 7 % of people 16 or older were victims of identity theft (bjs.gov). Security breaches can happen at any time and to anyone. Even the latest teen craze, the mobile app Snapchat, was hacked into with usernames, phone numbers and other information compromised.

Know where your information is being used. By definition, “Identity theft is the misuse of another person’s identifying information,” according to Identity Theft 911. Who you give your information to matters. Shred important documents, stay on top of current news stories regarding data breaches, verify the source asking for your information, monitor your accounts, etc. More consumer tips can be found at identitytheft911-nebanks.com.

FUTURE TECHNOLOGIES: Advanced technologies that further prevent identity theft are being looked at by several major companies. Instead of the using the black magnetic strip on the backs of credit and debit cards, research is being done to implement a digital chip that prevents thieves from easily counterfeiting cards with stolen data. Another innovation involves a mobile wallet to pay for purchases via smart phone.

NebraskaLand National Bank continues to progress with new technologies to aid our customers as well. Our new Mobile App will be rolling out soon with features that allow smart phone users to check their accounts anywhere, anytime. Be on the lookout for additional rollouts in 2014 as we continue to move forward with more ways to serve you.

Identity theft occurs every day, not just in the movies. Be aware of who you give your information to and take the necessary steps to prevent this crime from happening to you.

NebraskaLand National Bank

Please be aware of phishing scams, emails that solicit personal or account information. NebraskaLand National Bank will never send you an email asking for this information,
so please do not act on it if you receive an email of this nature. Please contact a Personal Banker immediately if you inadvertently shared personal information.